Hong Kong protesters’ mission: Destroy, destruct and disappear | World News

The wave of anarchy sweeping Hong Kong is being fuelled by increasing frustration as protesters grow in confidence and hone their tactics.

The anti-government sentiment is so strong, it can attract thousands of people to turn out on a Sunday morning to besiege the international airport.

And all this despite court injunctions, riot police and airport security.

Few demonstrators could get inside the airport terminals. There were strict checks for airline tickets before anyone could enter the departures building.

But that didn’t seem to matter a jot. The demonstrators – thousands and thousands of them – still paralysed routes around one of the world’s busiest airports.

They filled the roads. They stopped the buses. They threw rocks and debris on the train line and halted the rail service.

They gathered outside the terminal entrance and banged on the doors.

Travellers had to walk for miles through barricades and black-clad protesters – many wielding batons and wearing masks – in order to get to the terminal.

More than 40 flights were cancelled.

I asked an elderly woman walking towards the airport if she was angry.

“Not at all,” she replied. “I’m a Hong Konger and they have a right to protest.”

On Saturday, we saw much of the centre of the commercial area burning.

And on Sunday we saw mobs building layer upon layer of barricades around the airport, setting some on fire and then storming a nearby subway station, tearing up turnstiles and smashing ticket machines before unfurling a fire extinguisher and flooding the station entrance with gallons of water.

And all before police could intervene to stop it.

There have been disturbing scenes of riot officers running into subway carriages screaming at terrified passengers who are left cowering.

But the protesters seem to be utterly outwitting the police who are reduced to running around after them, desperately trying to dismantle barricades and clear routes.

The protesters do not have an identifiable leader – deliberately so – and are becoming remarkably agile in their organisation of this mass disruption.

Their targets are usually symbols of authority or areas where they can garner international attention, such as the airport.

The hardcore contingent – prepared for violence – tend to wear black to avoid standing out and arrive with gas masks in case teargas is fired by the police.

They carry umbrellas to protect their identities and to deflect “sponge bullets” and other missiles – and they all wear masks.

Amid repeated claims about police brutality, they fear being arrested.

Worryingly, there’s an increasing frustration which is leading to more vandalism and violence.

This, the 13th consecutive weekend of protests, may become known as the weekend the protesters decided they needed to up the ante.

They seem to have taken the combined decision to destroy, destruct and then disappear as quickly as they can.

Police officers’ frustration is palpable. But the demonstrators can match them for that.

There’s a general feeling that despite more than three months of protesting and increasing violence, they are no nearer achieving their objectives.

And that may prompt them to employ more and more outrageous – and ultimately dangerous – tactics